There is an enormous amount to gain from Dry Cow Treatment – provided the job is done well. Trying to hurry it or using inexperienced help to treat cows at drying-off is very risky and may prove disastrous.

If the teat end is not cleaned and sanitised, or the nozzles of the intramammary tubes are not kept sterile, or the teat skin is not disinfected, it is all too easy to get bacteria into the teat. To get the job done properly takes a concerted effort, especially if the cows are not used to having their teats handled.

Operators need to be trained in the correct way of giving intramammary treatments. Without a well-planned routine, avoidable mistakes may occur at the time of Dry Cow Treatment, including injury to staff.

The Countdown Downunder Farm Guidelines for Mastitis Control says on page 65 that a realistic goal for one person doing the job well is to handle about 20 cows per hour. This allows 3 minutes per cow to perform the following 7 steps:

• Restrain the cow

• Swab the teat ends with disinfectant

• Administer the Dry Cow Treatment

• Apply freshly mixed teat dip (even if you use teat spray on your farm)

• Clearly mark the cow

• Record the appropriate treatment details

• Move the cow to an appropriate location.

It’s a good idea to limit the number of cows to be treated after any one milking, especially in seasonal herds. If practicable, draft out the next batch of cows then milk and treat them before bringing the remainder of the herd through the dairy. This keeps the plant as clean as possible at the time of treatment.

Dry Cow Treatment is an essential component of mastitis prevention and control. It is important to set realistic targets for the time and effort that it will take to treat your herd. In terms of mastitis control on your farm – a job well begun is a job half done.

Image and caption
“Dry-off cows in batches to allow time for Dry Cow Treatment”

 “Hygienic administration of Dry Cow Treatment is essential”

Countdown Downunder Farm Guideline or Technote
Farm Guideline 17.1, Fact Sheet B

Keywords
Dry Cow Treatment, administer, mastitis, training

Word length
332